2018 Rocky Mountain Showdown Recap

Colorado Leads Series - 65 Wins - 22 Losses and 2 Ties

This has been a one-sided series in Colorado and this year not many are picking the Colorado State Rams to win at Mile High Stadium tomorrow night at 7:34 PM Mountain Time. The Buffs could have a very good season with the talent that has transferred in like graduate transfer Running Back Travon Mcmillan and big play tight end JuCo transfer Darrion Jones. With Steven Montez working rigorously over the off-season in perfecting his craft, he was named to the Maxwell Trophy watch list, and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to the hype against a bewildered Rams defense. The Colorado State Rams defense did not live up to par against the talent rich Hawaii offense, who were able to reinvent the historically successful run and shoot offense that is known to light up the scoreboard. Coming off of a historic offensive performance from KJ Carta-Samuels, where he was able to throw for 537 yards and 5 touchdowns. The only time KJ found himself making errant throws was when the Hawaii defensive front applied pressure, which caused the games only interception. Colorado State needs to create more turnovers defensively if they will have any chance of beating this highly touted Colorado Buffaloes team tomorrow night at Mile High Stadium.

Coach MacIntyre is 22-38 as Head Coach of The Buffs

This is a make it or break it year for a struggling Head Coach in a loaded PAC-12 conference and this opening contest will prove if Colorado will be able to compete in Power-5 play. The Buffs defense will look to more JuCo transfers in Davion Taylor and Delrick Adams Jr to make big plays to slow down the Rams brilliant passing attack. This is the first match-up of the season for the Colorado Buffaloes, as on the other side of the ball, The rams have already experienced the bitter taste of defeat. Seeing if CSU really has the "EDGE" that they preach in their program will be on full display tomorrow night in Denver. Did the Rams look past the Hawaii team in the first half, as they were heavy favorites at home? Or, was Coach Nick Rolovich and the Hawaii team one of the top teams in this year's Mountain West play and were just better prepared to face adversity? As I left GNC today in Fort Collins one of the employees I was speaking with stated that the Hawaii Warriors were playing for their people back home who were experiencing a terrible storm and had a reason to play the game. I challenge the Colorado State Rams to find one reason and one reason only to beat the Colorado Buffs, not just to save your still young season, but because you have been manhandled by your so-called rival for years now. Do you have what it takes to turn the tides in the favor of the Rams for years to come or will you continue to be a mediocre .500 ball club? Your fans will flock to your home games for New Belgium Beer and stadium food anyways, as you get to play football in one of the greatest places to live in the United States. My advice is, make the most of it while you are here and become winners, on and off the gridiron. It all begins tomorrow night in Denver, you either will surpass expectations or fade away into the abyss of "what if's".

Hawaii CSU 2018

Listen to the 2nd Half of the Hawaii Warriors Win Over CSU 43-34 Live on College Football Today Radio

The Hawaii Warriors were able to put up over 600 yards of total offense last night and appear to have a stellar gunslinger operating the newly renovated Rolovich "Run and Shoot" offense. Much like the Run and Shoot of old, Rolovich's version uses smaller and more agile receivers to create separation out of the slot receiver positions. Last night, Byrd and Ursua were able to help Cole McDonald and the Warriors offense produce in epic fashion, as did Colorado State's offense. K.J Carta-Samuels was able to throw for 537 yards and completed 5 touchdown passes, including a brilliantly executed 99 yard drive that helped spark a rally for the Rams offense.

Both teams did a great job at taking care of the football all night long and both teams only turned the ball over one time each. Carta-Samuels threw one interception and Hawaii was able to capitalize with points on the scoreboard, while on the other hand, Colorado State caused a fumble and was not able to capitalize with points on that given drive. I said in pre-game and in my 2018 CSU vs Hawaii Preview that this would be a high scoring shoot-out, much like a arena league game and whoever could gain more possessions would ultimately win the game. Cole Mcdonald was able to achieve a marvelous QB rating of 97.6, while Carta-Samuels had a 76.6 rating on the night. Sometimes it does not come down to how many yards you throw for in the end, but instead on how practical you are with the football for four quarters of play.

It is not about if they can win football games, because the Rams have plenty of talent to put up an outrageous amount of points all season long. If the Rams can get an adequate pass rush, as Hawaii did on Carta-Samuels to cause errant throws downfield, they can start creating those key turnovers that can ultimately swing close contests. This game came down to who was better prepared mentally and I applaud Coach Nick Rolovich and his staff for winning against a very good Colorado State Rams football team in Fort Collins. I also applaud the resiliency of the Rams players to keep fighting as the newest stadium in College Football emptied out as the game appeared to be a blowout. This contest proved who the Rams really were underneath the shells of the shoulder pads and helmets. They are a high flying team that needs to push the ball down the field EARLY and often, not waiting until they are down for 30 points. They are a tough group that can ultimately surprise a lot of people this season if they can learn from their WEEK 0 mistakes and move forward with an EDGE that cannot be denied. Execution is key, as is play calling, so everyone needs to take a look in the mirror and figure out WHY they play the game of football at Colorado State University.

Gameday : Week 0 Prairie View A&M @ Rice

​I remember waking up on Saturdays, it was as if there was an eerie silence about everywhere you walked. You would see your teammates, and no matter how close you were, a head nod was all that you could do. It was as if there were no noise at all, you could walk and hear the wind blowing through the trees, engines running on the cars passing by. But at the same time there was a death metal concert going on in your head, gunfire, a shit ton of bass, the anticipation building over the war you were about to stroll right into. As a college athlete there was nothing that could replace that feeling. Today, we are blessed to see the beginning of another football season! Blessed to get to watch as fans of the greatest game ever played in America on August 25th 2018! This 2018-19 College football season is officially underway, and even though this isn’t a Top 25 matchup, there will be helmets crashing, hot dogs consumed, beer… tons of beer, cheerleaders, top performing marching bands, coaches yelling, fans cheering, mascots mean mugging another, but most importantly today.. there will be a team that goes home a Loser, and that goes home a Winner!

​Both teams walk in with something in common, which makes this match-up completely unpredictable. The Rice Owls and the Prairie View A&M Panthers have a coach making his Head Coaching Debut tonight. Coach Eric Dooley for PVA&M and Coach Mike Bloomgren for Rice have been graduate assistants, they have been position coaches, they’ve coordinated successful offenses, led teams to Bowl Games, been very successful, but now they are running the show, each finally getting the opportunity to gain the respect they’ve put in so many hours to get.

What's Important

I think as much as this game is about the players, and what they do on the field, I’m going to put today’s matchup on the coaches. I think the players are somewhat irrelevant, as much as they are everything. Today’s Coach that gets to put their first career “W” on their resume as Head Coach will be determined by that coach. As far as the Owls go, I feel that will be their biggest weakness. In press conferences this week HC Mike Bloomgren has mentioned that they have not named a starting QB yet, that he plans on beating the odds of playing both QBs in this game. I think this strategy is horrible, and screams dissention within the ranks not on the field between QBs, but in the office between a HC and an Offensive Coordinator. While Bloomgren was a very successful OC, leading Stanford to several winning seasons, his current OC Jerry Mack was very successful HC at North Carolina Central University. It hasn’t been said but I am willing to bet they both have chosen their starting QB, but they have not both chosen the same QB.

There is a reason why planning on going with both QBs never works out. In college football there is crucial element called momentum. And the problem with playing both QBs is that you never know when one is beginning to find his momentum, and the other is not. You take one out without knowing if the next drive he was going to complete the pass your cold-armed quarterback coming off the bench couldn’t quite make. I think it is a mistake to go into week one without naming a starting QB.

With that being said...

I am willing to go out on a limb and say, PVA&M has a chance to upset Rice today. They seem to have the opposite problem. They have a starting QB, they have an OC in Ted White that can put points on the board. If they can put enough on early, I think HC Bloomgren will go home with an L today and hopefully learn an important lesson…Be Humble and let your OC coordinate the offense.

College Football Today's Texas Contributor William Cruz III

How Tall Should you be to Play NCAA Football

Big Impact Comes in Small Packages

When football fans and analysts talk about “short” players, they often draw upon NFL greats such as Doug Flutie and Darren Sproles. While both are celebrated athletes, their success on the field is commonly framed as impressive “for their size.” In reality, athletes with lower centers of gravity have a huge advantage in contact sports. It may sound cliché but in football, “the bigger they are, the harder they fall.” In fact, even “recruiting services” will tell college football prospects that you should be at least a certain height to play at a certain position.

In researching these exceptional athletes, I found that programs unwilling to recruit athletes shorter or lighter than their rigid standards are often the ones who have suffered losing records year after year. However, consistent powerhouses like Alabama, Georgia and Clemson, and even some teams on the rise like FAU, UCF, South Carolina, and Miami utilize offensive and defensive weapons under 5’10 for their punch and agility.

In my experience speaking with both NFL and CFB players under 5'10, they are often confused by various heights they are listed as by different teams and sports reports. For whatever reason, coaches, athletic directors, communications directors, and sports reporters feel the need to add an inch or two when listing players under 6-foot. The truth is there is a huge advantage to having a smaller frame or being closer to the ground and it is absolutely ridiculous that anybody feels the need to do this.

The list below is made up some the top performers in the entire FBS division that are listed under 5'10. Some might be under the radar now because of their size, but very well could be on their way to being first round picks and future NFL sleepers.

College Football Now list FAU's running back unit as the country's 10th best

PFF College noted that Singletary finished 2017 No. 2 nationally in missed tackles forced on carries last season and No. 2 in total breakaway yards among returning FBS running backs with 917 total yards gained on breakaway runs (15+ yard runs)

Sporting News lists Singletary as the No. 5 running back in 2018's preseason

Holds a national ranking as the country's 35th best player by CFB Now

Ranked No. 37 by Sports Illustrated

50th Best Player ranked by ESPN

Doak Walker Watch List

Maxwell Watch List

Walter Camp Watch List

RB J.J. Taylor (Arizona) - 5’6, 180

2017 Sophomore Season

Named Pac-12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year

Second on the team and top among running backs with 828 rushing yards in regular season … Totaled seven touchdowns, including five rushing and two receiving

462 yards on 58 carries in last five regular season games (92.4 yards per game and 8.0 yards per carry)

74 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown, plus hauled in one pass for five yards at Arizona State (Nov. 25)

Gained 55 rushing yards on 10 attempts along with an eight-yard reception at Oregon (Nov. 18)

Posted 129 yards on only 10 attempts in victory over Oregon State (Nov. 11).

Had a 16-yard touchdown reception and netted 51 yards on 12 carries at USC (Nov. 4)

Career-high 153 yards with a pair of rushing touchdowns, including a 79-yard score, in upset of No. 15 Washington State (Oct. 28)

44 yards on four carries, 30-yard touchdown vs. California (Oct. 21)

Tallied 64 rushing yards on 16 carries in victory over UCLA (Oct. 14)

2016 Freshman Season

Totaled 261 yards and two scores on 38 carries

Carried 18 times for 168 yards and a touchdown, with a season-long run of 61 yards.

168 yards ranked eighth-most by a freshman in UA history

RB D'Andre Swift (Georgia) - 5’9, 215

2017 Freshman Season

One of Georgia's three offensive Newcomers of the Year

Dawgs' third-leading rusher with 597 yards and its fourth-leading receiver with 15 catches for 146 yards

Top rusher twice: vs. Missouri and again in the SEC Championship Game vs. Auburn

Had a 64-yard TD dash early in the 4th quarter of said SEC Championship

94 rushing yards vs. Missouri with a long-rush of 71 yards

10 rush attempts vs. Mississippi State

3 receptions vs. App State

84 receiving yards on three catches vs. Florida, including a 39-yarder that set up Georgia's first TD

Credited with a special teams stop when he tackled the Missouri punter for an 18-yard loss after a mishandled snap

Recipient of the IV Chandler Football Scholarship

​RB Adrian Killins Jr. (UCF) - 5’8, 159

2017 Sophomore Season

Named First Team All-Conference by The American

Started in 12 games and appeared in all 13 at running back

Ran for 790 yards and 10 touchdowns on 122 carries, all team highs

Caught 25 passes for 169 yards and had one score through the air

Averaged 6.47 yards per rush, which set a UCF single-season record

Also had 79.5 all-purpose yards per game and 60.8 yards of total offense per game

Topped 100 yards rushing in three games

Recorded eight plays of 20+ yards, including four touchdowns

Carried the ball seven times for 46 yards and a touchdown against Maryland (9/23)

Against Memphis (9/30), Killins set the UCF and American Athletic Conference record for longest play from scrimmage with a 96-yard touchdown run, finished with 115 yards on nine carries and snagged five passes for 64 yards and a score

Named The American Offensive Player of the Week

2016 Freshman Season

Rushed 50 times and was third on the team with 325 rushing yards

Had a team best 6.5 yards per carry average and ran for four touchdowns

Also caught 18 passes for 198 yards receiving and two touchdowns

Was the team’s leading kick returner with 18 returns for 451 yards on the season

Averaged 25.1 yards per kick return, which ranked 22nd in the nation, and had one 100-yard touchdown return

Led Knights with 974 all-purpose yards

Had the two longest plays of the year with a 100-yard kick return and an 87-yard rush

Totaled five plays of 50 yards or more and 18 plays of 20+ yards

CB Avery Williams (Boise State) - 5'9, 197

Mountain West 50 Best Football Players & Preseason Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year (2018)2017 RS Freshman Season

All-Mountain West Second Team (2017)

Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 16, 2017)

Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 4, 2017)

Led the Mountain West in punt return average (11.2 ypr) and punt-return touchdowns (two)

Averaged 24.7 yards per kickoff return with a long of 48

Made 45 tackles (36 solo) with two interceptions and eight pass breakups

In his collegiate debut against Troy (Sept. 2), returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown, and averaged 24.8 yards per punt return (5-124)

Returned a punt 29 yards to set up a touchdown drive, and made a solo tackle on defense against New Mexico (Sept. 14)

Scored his second touchdown of the season via punt return, taking one 53 yards to the house at San Diego State, while also recording six solo tackles and breaking up a pass on defense (Oct. 14)​

The Colorado State Rams are said to be in a re-building year going into the 2018 season and are relying heavily on graduate transfer QB K.J Carta-Samuels for offensive production. With Preston Williams transferring in from Tennessee and serving his one year of residency at CSU, he is ready to pair up with (SR) WR Olabisi Johnson who caught 69 passes last season for over 1,200 yards. Warren Jackson had two touchdowns last season against Alabama and looks to add another dynamic deep-threat to this fantastic trio of receivers. I believe this is a big reason that Carta-Samuels was named to the 2018 Johnny United Golden Arm "Watch List" heading into this season. I applaud Coach Bobo and staff for being able to land a QB late in the game like K.J, as they had their leading candidate for starting Quarterback go down with his second ACL tear in February in Collin Hill, whom Coach Bobo is not ruling out to compete this fall. Rumors have circulated that K.J was committing to UCLA but that Coach Bobo was able to convince him to change his mind last minute, in order to solidify the Rams' QB spot. The Rams have a solid rushing attack returning with (SR) RB Izzy Matthews, who has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in 3 seasons, along with 26 touchdowns for the Rams. The Rams should be able to put up plenty of points this season, but do have questions on the offensive line that have hopefully been addressed in beautiful Fort Collins, CO at Fall Camp. Looking with a unbiased approach, as I am moving in the "Uncommon" Colorado State student housing this week, I think the Rams number one concern is can they stop the likes of Boise State from scoring more points? In one possession finishes against top 100 FBS programs they are 1-6 under Coach Bobo. This newly formed offensive unit will have to produce points in intense moments, unlike the Rams of the past who have folded when the going gets tough. With veteran leadership from players like Carta-Samuels and Olabisi on the offensive side of the ball, the Rams look set for a collision course with the high powered Run-and-Shoot offense of the Hawaii Warriors. The Rams return five offensive linemen with starting experience and have more key transfers in former Louisville linemen T.J Roundtree and JuCo transfer Keith Williams. Coach Bobo has been able to land 52 three-star prospects over the last three recruiting classes and has plenty of highly touted sophomores to rely on to provide depth to the struggling Rams defense. The defense will need to improve drastically in 2018 for the Rams to have a chance against the likes of Wyoming and Boise State, which will allow them to compete in the Mountain West Championship game.

The Rams Defense Allowed 431.6 yards a game in 2017.

Any defense that allows over 400 yards a game has issues and is the main reason the Rams find themselves ranked 96th out of 130 FBS teams by SB Nation heading into the 2018 season. This is why Coach Bobo brought in new Defensive Coordinator John Jancek and the Rams are desperately looking for a drastic turnaround from this years defense. They will be playing a more aggressive defense, as I have seen Coach Helow teaching his safeties techniques to dislodge the football to create turnovers for the Rams defense in 2018. The Rams had a majority of their problems last season up front and are transitioning from a 3-4 alignment to a 4-3 alignment, as Coach Jancek ran as Defensive Coordinator at the University of Tennessee from 2013-2015. It will be imperative that the Rams be stout up front with (DE) Arjay Jean, (DT) Richard King and Sophomore Ellison Hubbard. If they can provide stellar run support and a adequate pass rush, linebackers like Josh Watson can fly around and stuff plays before they can get going. Max McDonald is a Fort Collins native who attended Rocky Mountain High School and will be looked to step up in this new 4-3 system that Coach Jancek will implement. Speedy Linebacker (SR) Tre Thomas looks to build off of a great career thus far as a Ram and will fill the strong side backer most likely in the 4-3 system. Braylin Scott will return for 2018 and was cleared to practice during the spring, after snagging three interceptions for the rams defense in 2016. He missed 2017 for personal reason and the Rams are extremely excited to have him back in the defensive backfield. Anthony Hawkins will be lining up on the other side of the field and players like Darius Campbell look to fill the nickle back roll. Depth is a key concern for the Rams at corner, but the safety position is solidified by former returning Utah Safety Jordan Fogal. When opposite safety Jamaal Hicks went down last season, the Rams hit a steady decline at the end of the 2017 season. He returns from a broken arm that kept him out the last 5 games of last season, and it will be key for the Rams to stay healthy for an entire season. The Rams consistently have some of the best special teams units in all of college football and returning kicker Wyatt Bryan, punter Ryan Stonehouse and kickoff specialist Braxton Davis. Johnson will look to fill the return man role, left open by the departure of Ram great Detrich Clark.

Our regards go out to Colorado State Head Coach Bobo and his family, as he was hospitalized as of late for feeling "numbness in his feet". We send our thoughts and prayers to the Colorado State family and Coach Bobo, as they continue to prepare for their upcoming battler with the Hawaii Warriors on August 25th, 2018.

Colorado State 2018 Prediction

The Hawaii match-up will give us a very clear look at how good Colorado State will be this year, as they will have to defend the high scoring run and shoot offense. The Rocky Mountain Showdown will prove to be a great contest against the in-state rivals CU Buffs and then they welcome their first SEC opponent to Fort Collins, Co when the Razorbacks come to Canvas Stadium. I believe after they go up against yet another highly touted SEC opponent @ Florida, we will be able to see if they can compete in the Mountain division of the up and coming Mountain West Football Conference.

An Uncommon Year For Mountain West Football

We now live in downtown Fort Collins and will be covering Mountain West Football, along with other college football stories. We will be sponsoring the 2019 Scout Trout All-American Bowl at the Gulf Shores Sports Complex in Alabama and preparing for this up and coming season. It is a very "Uncommon" football season that we will be embarking on and with the help of the Colorado State faithful and coaches, I believe they can bring home a championship if the stars align in accordance. If you would like us to cover your games live, please do not hesitate to ask us to stop by your establishment for the most enlightened football knowledge on the planet.

CSU Old Aggie Vintage T-Shirt

$26.00 - $28.00

The iconic ringer t-shirt is back! Once the tee of choice for the rock-n-rollers of the 1950s and 1960s, this modernized, lightweight version is now ready for all you 21st century rebels.

Commemorate the opening game of the 2018 College Football season with a comfy long sleeve t-shirt that will be useful throughout the Fall season and future football games to come!
Even if you're not going, you can tell everyone you did. Who cares?
This long-sleeve tee has ribbed cuffs and a classic-fit. It's quarter-turned to eliminate center creasing and perfect for chilly days!
• 100% jersey knit
• Pre-shrunk
• Classic fit
• Double-needle ⅞” collar
• Taped neck and shoulders
• Long sleeve, ribbed cuffs
• Quarter-turned

Colorado State Aggies Vintage Drawstring bag

$22.50

Combine your love for vibrant prints and a sporty style with a cool drawstring bag. It's a must-have gym essential that can be worn as a backpack with drawstring closure at top, and narrow, contrasting shoulder straps.

Commemorate the first game of the 2018 College Football season with a comfy long-sleeve t-shirt that will come in handy for the coming Fall weather.
This long-sleeve tee has ribbed cuffs and a classic-fit. It's quarter-turned to eliminate center creasing and perfect for chilly days!
• 100% jersey knit
• Pre-shrunk
• Classic fit
• Double-needle ⅞” collar
• Taped neck and shoulders
• Long sleeve, ribbed cuffs
• Quarter-turned

'Hawaii Five-O - Hawai'i Run-and-Shoot Offense Short-Sleeve T-Shirt

$35.00 - $42.00

Click the link below to read more about the role of the run-and-shoot and the 2018 match-up between Hawai'i and Colorado State.
https://www.collegefootballtoday.org/collegefbnews/hawaii-warriors-colorado-state-rams-august-25th-2018-530pm-mt-cbs-sports-network

This t-shirt makes for a great staple! It has a classic fit (not form-fitting) with a thick cotton fabric.

Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors Vintage Drawstring bag

$22.50

Combine your love for vibrant prints and a sporty style with a cool drawstring bag. It's a must-have gym essential that can be worn as a backpack with drawstring closure at top, and narrow, contrasting shoulder straps.

Lane Kiffin Is Really Excited About FAU FOOTBALL!

If you follow collegiate and professional football than you have heard of the legendary "play caller" Lane Kiffin. Attached is last years recruiting video he made while at FAU, where he appears to be extremely excited about recruiting for Owls football.

Lane Kiffin Contract Extension

After bringing over the likes of (OC) Charlie Weis Jr and (DC) Tony Pecoraro from Southern Miss, the Owls were one of the hottest teams in all of NCAA football last year, earning Kiffin a contract extension until the year 2027. Coach Monte Kiffin, Lane's father is now the Defensive Analyst and Pro Liaison for the Owls.

Last Chance U Players at FAU

Former WVU Quarterback and EMCC QB Coach - Clint Trickett has helped land big time JuCo recruits from the Netflix series "Last Chance U" and is the team's Tight Ends Coach. The eruption of the Owls' offense can mostly be attributed to Maxwell Award "Watch List" student-athlete RB Devin Singletary, who is arguably the best player in Conference USA football heading into the 2018 season. De'Andre Johnson is healthy and the former "Last Chance U" star appears hungry for the opportunity to prove he is the national-championship-winning-QB that he was at EMCC. Former Oklahoma 4-Star QB Chris Robinson is eligible to play this season for the Owls and also could be a great replacement for Driskel, who was able to average 5.9 yards per carry last year for the Owls. Robinson was dismissed from the Sooners for public intoxication, after not being able to live up to the greatness of Baker Mayfield.

Lane Kiffin Fresno State and QB Chris Robinson

​Of course, Coach Kiffin knows a thing or two about never making it as an elite quarterback, as he committed to Fresno State and was a backup quarterback, who gave up his senior year to become a student-coach. Sadly, Robinson missed spring practice after another suspension at Florida Atlantic. He did compete in the spring game and hopefully Coach Kiffin has taught him right "choices" to make if he wants to be a quarterback for the Owls. Coach Kiffin appears to have learned from his own mistakes or was put on medication, as he has seemed to calm down a lot since his days coaching for Al Davis.

Kiffin Fired by Al Davis

Yes, Lane Kiffin, if Your Fired You Don't Get Paid

Lane Kiffin is fired from the Oakland Raiders for "cause", by Raiders Owner Al Davis

Lane Kiffin was let go by Al Davis on national media for being a liar and fabricating facts to the media. Al Davis stated that Lane was after the Arkansas job and thought he still could get paid if let go as the Oakland Raiders Head Coach and take the college job he wanted. He wound up at Tennessee for a season with his father Monte Kiffin, but abruptly left for USC to become Head Coach of the Trojans after only 14 months. Lane Kiffin was fired as the USC Head Coach and said it was "the lowest point of his career" during an interview with CBS sports as he was preparing for the BCS title game in Phoenix. Those three years at Alabama were spent learning from the great Coach Saban, but as Lane Kiffin described it, not much fun. He has since taken years of failing at a high level and found success in attempting to instill a new culture in the Florida Atlantic program. So far, after a 11-3 season and an undefeated season in conference play, Kiffin has very quickly turned the Owls' program around and has them even nationally ranked in preseason polls like Sports Illustrated.

Lane Kiffin Fires His Dad Monte Kiffin

"You will be coached by the best for 3-4 years if you come to Tennessee" - states Lane Kiffin

As I go back through Lane Kiffin's infamous career, I realize that most of his so-called "slip ups" came in the media and the way Kiffin was portrayed as a ingenious play caller was simply falsified. Coach Kiffin needed his own personnel to run the scheme he wanted and when he inherited a team that didn't have the pieces he needed, he failed miserably. When Kiffin is able to recruit his own players and go after EMCC greats like Tim Bonner, who will lead the Owl's defense, which returns 10 starters off of last years team, he won historically. If there is ever a break-through year for Lane Kiffin where he can rectify his own status as an NCAA Head Coach and show that the Owls were not a one-and-done mid-major program, it is the 2018 season. I guess it is time for Lane Kiffin to keep tweeting and design his magical comeback recruit by recruit and win by win. Can this formerly boisterous coach bring Florida Atlantic to a BCS bowl? They will have to run the table and win in a dominating fashion to make it out of Conference USA, but if anyone can put Florida Atlantic on the map, it's Coach Kiffin. Either negatively or positively (as of late), there is a saying in sports that "all press, is good press". Lane Kiffin certainly brings the press to your door step, as he is the most unorthodox coach in all of college football.

Some comments below about Lane Kiffin's FAU Recruiting Video.

Coach Trout at the Bayou Classic in New Orleans

Having been at the 2018 Bayou Classic where I got to witness most of the festivities of the events in New Orleans and with the big Grambling Tigers' win over Southern, I started researching one of the most winning college football teams of all-time. If Coach Fobbs can win recruiting battles against the likes of Nick Saban and the University of Alabama, well, I would have to say the resurgence of Grambling football, as well as HBCU Football is more alive than it has ever been. Maurice Robinson chose Grambling over the likes of Alabama, Florida and LSU, while also stating that he wants to play defensive back for the Tigers. This extremely bright young man was quoted saying,

“It was a hard process from the start,” Robinson told The News-Star Monday. “I had big colleges looking at me. All of that could get into your head if you don’t take care of the process the right way. It was an easy decision to make. I didn’t really fall into the light that they shined on me, I didn’t get into the hype they threw at me."

Well I guess this young man realizes his path to the next level involves playing time and a coach like Broderick Fobbs who shows compassion, understanding and an unfathomable amount of loyalty to the players he coaches. Who knows, maybe those D1 powerhouses were not giving him a choice to play at the position he desired, but offering him as the stellar dual-threat QB that he is. It really is not our job to speculate as thousands of scenarios could have led to this young man choosing Grambling and Coach Fobbs is a man who looks at the recruit, not the stars attached to their name. Maybe Robinson felt the sincerity of the Grambling program and also recognized the historic program that has existed at Grambling and is re-surging under Coach Fobbs.

The History of Grambling State Football - The Eddie Robinson Era

Eddie Robinson is known as the greatest collegiate football coach of all-time by many in our industry. He was able to build Grambling State into a powerhouse during a very hard period of time for African American athletes in the southern states of America, as they were not allowed to play for southern programs. Coach Robinson retired in 1997 with 408 wins, 165 losses and 15 ties. Coach Robinson was inducted into the college football hall of fame in 1997 and was the most winning-est college football coach of all-time when the NCAA stripped Coach Paterno of 111 wins, only to return them to the scandal-ridden former Penn State head football coach. More than 200 of players that were coached by Eddie Robinson went on to the old AFL, CFL and NFL, as he set the standard for college coaches across the country on how to build a program.

A Program on the Verge of Collapse

With 690 million dollars being stripped from Louisiana higher education programs, Grambling State football faced extinction as they did not have the proper funding to support the Tiger Football team. Not even legendary QB Doug Williams could save the Tigers from the wrath of our failing economic and educational systems in America and all was lost for a few years. Former Grambling State running back, Broderick Fobbs became the Head Coach of the historic Tigers program for the 2014 season and has achieved a record of 39-11 and has Grambling as one of our Top 25 FCS College Football Programs heading into this season.

The Coach Fobbs Era & The 2018 Grambling Tigers

Coach Fobbs has the Tiger faithful dancing once again to the beautiful sound of the Grambling State band, who produces magic every time they get to perform, just as the football team did in 2017. Grambling was able to defeat "Air McNair's" alma mater Alcorn State with a score of 40-32 for yet another Grambling Tigers SWAC championship. Coach Fobbs should be the topic of conversation when you look at how he has been able to build Grambling State back to a point that would make the legendary Coach Robinson extremely proud. But after checking out this year's Grambling State team and how practices have gone so far, I believe Grambling will once again be hoisting the SWAC championship trophy and make a run in the FCS playoffs if granted the chance to compete. They will bring home another HBCU National championship, but why are they not talked about when it comes to the FCS playoffs. VICE News wrote a very good article on why SWAC and MEAC teams do not compete in the FCS playoffs, as we never truly get an FCS or 1AA National Champion, outright.

Institutional Issue?

It's very intriguing that both 1AA Historically Black conferences have their own independent "Black College National Championship" and cannot compete in the FCS playoffs. That being said, we will be taking every team in 1AA into consideration when we crown our champion at the conclusion of the 2018 FCS Season. We also take into consideration that Grambling State has produced over 100 players that have gone onto the NFL and will continue to show resiliency, toughness and character moving forward under the new legendary figure, Coach Broderick Fobbs. When they say Geaux Tigers in Louisiana this season, remember the inept Ed Orgeron doesn't have a pot to piss in and the best coach in your state resides at Grambling State University, home of the Tigers!